Samuel Robinson (1707-1767)
}} Veteran of several wars, founder of Bennington VT. Biography Samuel Robinson was the son of Samuel Robinson (1680-1724) and Sarah Manning (1681-1709) of Cambridge, MA, USA. French & Indian Wars He was conspicuous in civil, military and ecclesiastical affairs in Hardwick, MA from 1733-61. He was a Captain in the French and Indian Wars from (1755-59). Founder of Bennington VT Samuel founded the town of Bennington Centre, the first Township of what later became the state of Vermont after being awarded 24,000 acres from the New Hamphire Land Grants. He was commissioned as Justice of the Peace by Gov. Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire 08 February 1762, being the first person appointed to any judicial office within the limits of this State, Vermont. First of the New Hampshire Grants, Bennington was chartered on January 3, 1749, by Colonial Governor Benning Wentworth and named in his honor. It was granted to William Williams and 61 others, mostly from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The town was first settled in 1761 by four families from Hardwick and two from Amherst, Massachusetts. They were led by Capt. Samuel Robinson, who camped in the river valley on his return from the French and Indian War. There are three historic districts within the town today: Old Bennington, Downtown Bennington and North Bennington. Of these, Old Bennington is the original settlement, dating back to 1761 when Congregational Separatists arrived from Connecticut and from Amherst and Hardwick, Massachusetts. Small Pox Death in England On 20 July 1767, upon a hearing before the king (King George III) in council an order in council was made prohibiting the governor of New York, "under pain of his majesty's highest displeasure," from making any such new grants. While Capt. Robinson was still prosecuting the business of his mission, he unfortunately took the small pox and died in London 27 October 1767. He was actually buried at the Church burial ground of George Whitefield but some publications have referenced Bunhill Fields. The Whitefield burial ground was destroyed on Good Friday 1945 by the last German U-2 bomb to hit London. "Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." London Church Epitaph Whitefield Memorial Church, London, England, his epitaph A Mr. Lyons, teacher in a New England school, was traveling not long since through England upon a vacation tour. One day as he passed a church building newly completed, his eye was caught by a tablet on the wall: " Whitfield Memorial Church." Knowing something of the story of Capt. Robinson, he entered, and soon learned that upon that spot the older church had stood. After some search, he found the old church records well kept for more than two hundred years. And under date of 1767, he read the following inscription: '' Samuel Robinson, buried or died October 29, 1767, aged 60 years. Brought from the parish of St. Mary Le Bon." Only so much the world keeps of so many " of whom the world was not worthy." But though its honors little crown his life, yet its work, its human meaning for other lives,—these things abide. It is good to know the life of such a man, good to bear his name, yet better to strive to put into one's life something of the determination and deed which were in his. Marriage & Family # Joseph Robinson (1728-1790) # Leonard Robinson (1733-) # Elizabeth Robinson (1733-1736) # Leonard Robinson (1736-1827) # Samuel Robinson (1738-) - at age 17 he served in his father's company of militia in the French and Indian War. # Moses Robinson (1741-1813) - 2nd Governor of Vermont Republic and helped guide Vermont towards US Statehood in 1790. # Paul Robinson (1743-1754) # Silas Robinson (1745-1828) # Macy Robinson (1748-) # Mercy Robinson (1748-1814) # Sarah Robinson (1751-1816) # David Robinson (1754-1843) # Jonathan Robinson (1756-1819) - U.S. Senator 1807-1815 and chief justice of the supreme court of Vermont 1801-1807 # Anna Robinson (1759-1842) References * Nathan Robinson 1764 Immigrant Ancestors * From "The Robinsons and Their Kin Folk" by The Robinson Family Genealogical and Historical Association (1904). Written by: Rev. Joseph Haswell Robinson (1836-68). * History of Bennington VT - Wikipedia